The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1887-08-03
MIR. REAGAN's REPLY.

FoRT WORTH, TEXAS, July 31-At tn
| anti prohibition State barbecue held her
July rs, letter was read from jefferson
Davis, coming out strongly against the pro
posed prohibition amendment to be yotet
on in Texas August 4 The Gazette to
morrow will print the following letter from
Senator Reagan in reply to jefferson Davis
PALESTINE, July %, 1S87.-Hon. Jeffer
son, Davis, Beauvoir, Miss: My Dear ST
and Friend-I write not to complain bu
to express my surprise and sorrow on &C
count of the letter you wrote to our good
friend Gov. Lubbock, in opposition to tn,
adoption of the proposed amendment tt
our State Constitution to prohibit the man
ufacture, sale and exchange of Intoxicating
liquors, except for mechanical, medical
scientific and sacramentaI purposes.
Texas has never been so profoundly stir
red up on a question before within my
memory. The State Democratic Conven
ton of last year held the question of tenn
perance-of opposition to the liquor traffic
to be non partisan. Our Democratic
Governor recommended TO the last legisla
ture the submission of this question to the
vote of the people. Our legislature, which
on joint ballot had but five Republicans in
it, did submit the question to the people
for decision on the 4th of August prox., by
vote of more than two-thirds of each
house. 1t was submitted as a non-partisan
question to be voted on when no other
question was before the people.
This measure is, l understand, sustained
by a majority of the best and most trusted
Democrats of the State, such as ex-Sen-
ator Maxey, Mr.. Culbertson, Mr.. Lanham
and Judge Hare, Democratic members
elect to Congress, and Col. Miller, Demo
cratic member of the last Congress. 1t is
sustained by two-thirds of the newspapers
of Texas, by not less than nineteen-twen-
tieths of the 800 or 400 preachers of Texas,
by probably ninety-n in every hundred
of the women of the State, and it will, in
my opinion, be voted for by
MORE THAN 100000 WHITE DEMOCRATS.
1 have been in three counties, in large as
semblies, since your letter was published,
and from what have seen and heard, am
sure that tens of thousands of your truest
and best friends are grieved and panied by
your letter. We believe we could carry
the State against the combined influence
and efforts of the manufacturers of whisky
and beer, the liquor dealers associations of
St. Louis, Chicago, Louisville, Cincinnati,
Yew York, Philadelphia and elsewhere, and
against the use of the vast sums of money
they have sent to Texas to employ and pay
speakers, suborn the newspapers and cor
rupt the ballot and debauch our people.
We believed we could carry it against the
saloon-keepers, professional politicians
and number of good men like our friend
Gov. Lubbock; but the power Of your great
name is now being paraded against the
prohibitionists, not only by some good men
who like yourself think prohibition more
dangerous than the liquor traffic and drum
kenness, with all the evils, poverty, wretch
edness, shame, sorrow and crime which
follow in their train.
Your letter is being read and applauded
by every saloon-keeper and drsm-drinker
in Texas to-day, and it will cost cause
which many of us deem of the greatest
many thousands of votes, and
we fear may defeat the amendment and
give the endorsement of the people to the
liquor traffic, with all the griefs, sorrows
and crimes which go with it
You object to this amendment because
the world is governed too much. Our laws
prohibit the carrying of pistols, bowie
knives and brass knuckles, and Furnishes
those carrying them by fine and imprison-
ment. Our laws prohibit and provide for
the punishment of many other things
which are injurious to society and which
restrain the personal liberty of the citizen.
You admit that the incorporate use of
liquors is the ssroot' of many social disor-
iers-no one can tell truthfulIy the bane-
full effects of the liquor traffc-but ron
think, with many others, that to prohibit it
will be an abridgement of personal liberty.
This is admitted. Personal liberty was
abridged when God forbade our progenitors
to eat of the fruit of the tree of life The
iecalogue in the Holy Scriptures abridges
personal liberty in nearly every command
ment. The laws of the United States and
Of the several States are in measure made